Who Dies?

Who Dies?

Dies slowly he who transforms himself into a slave of habit,
repeating every day the same routines,
who does not change brands,
does not risk wearing a new color, nor talking to those he doesn’t know.

Dies slowly he who makes television his guru.

Dies slowly he who avoids a passion,
who prefers black to white
and the dots on the “i” to a whirlpool of emotions,
Dies slowly he who does not overthrow the table when unhappy at work,
who does not risk the certain for the uncertain
to go toward the dream that is keeping him awake.

Who does not, at least once in life, flee from sound thinking.

Dies slowly he who does not travel, does not read,
does not listen to music, who does not find grace in himself.

Dies slowly he who destroys his self love,
who does not accept help from another.

Dies slowly he who passes his days complaining of his bad luck or the incessant rain.

Dies slowly he who abandons a project before starting it,
who does not ask about a subject he does not know
or who does not answer when being asked about something he does know.

Dies slowly he who does not share his emotions, joys and sadness,
who does not trust, who does not even try.

Dies slowly he who does not intend excelling,
who does not learn from the stones on the road of life,
who does not love and let somebody love him.

Let’s avoid death in soft quotes,
remembering always that to be alive demands an effort much bigger
that the simple fact of breathing.

-Pablo Neruda